This invention relates generally to cellular telephone apparatus and, more particularly, to cellular telephone apparatus which reduce the intensity of electromagnetic radiation to which a user of the apparatus is exposed.
Recently, concerns have been expressed regarding the use of hand-held portable cellular telephones. In particular, it has been alleged that high frequency long-range electromagnetic radiation emitted from the antenna of cellular telephones may cause cancer. Due to the close proximity of the cellular telephone circuitry and antenna to the head of the user during operation of the telephone, the intensity of the electromagnetic radiation to which the user's head is exposed is quite high. For this reason individuals are refraining from using hand-held cellular telephones. In contrast, low power emissions from home cordless phones have not been linked to health problems.
In an effort to reduce exposure to electromagnetic radiation from cellular telephones, various shielding devices have been developed which deflect radiation emissions from the cellular telephone to a direction away from the user's body. However, these shielding devices have several drawbacks. For example, such shielding devices are not entirely effective in protecting the cellular telephone user from electromagnetic radiation emissions at close range since a certain degree of leakage generally occurs even from a shielded antenna. Attempts have also been made to provide shielding devices which direct the electromagnetic radiation emissions from a non-directional antenna to a desired direction away from the user's head. However, such devices generally adversely affect the performance of the cellular telephone due to the resulting highly directional nature of the electromagnetic radiation.